Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698932071660.pdf (Namibia)
FINANCIAL YEAR 2019/20 BUDGET MOTIVATION SPEECH APPROPRIATION VOTE 12 PRESENTED BY HONOURABLE DOREEN SIOKA, MP MINISTER OF GENDER EQUALITY AND CHILD WELFARE 26 APRIL 2019 IIPage Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee Honourable Members, It is my honour and privileged to present to this august House the budget allocation for the Ministryof Gender Equality and Child Welfare under Vote 12for the 2019/20 Financial Year.
Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee Honourable Members A total amount of N$ 1 296 314 000 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety Six Million, Three Hundred and Fourteen Thousand Namibia Dollars) is allocated to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare for 2019/2020 Financial Year of which an amount of N$ 1 214314 000 (One Billion, two hundred and fourteen Million, three hundred and fourteen Thousand Namibia Dollars) is dedicated to the Operational Budget of the Ministry and the difference of 82 000 000 (eighty two million) isfor Capital Projects.
The Ministryof Gender Equality and Child Welfare had to make deep budget cuts so as to ensure fiscal sustainability and to contribute towards the safeguarding of our macro-economic stability.

21Page Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee Honourable Members Kindly allow me to dwell into the details of the various Programmes of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and their respective allocations: PROGRAMME 1.
POLICY SUPERVISION AND SUPPORTSERVICES 1.1 The primary purpose of this Program isto enhance an enabling environment for a high-performance culture and service delivery.

1.2 A total amount of N$202 977 000 (Two hundred and two Million, Nine hundred and seventy seven Thousand Namibia Dollars) is allocated to this programme.

This amount is also inclusive of all activities that are decentralised irrespective of the program they fall under.
1.3 As indicated an amount of N$ 82 000 000 (Eighty two Million Namibia Dollars) under this program is allocated for the Development Budget of this Ministry.

1.4 The Development Budget of the Ministry pertains, inter alia, to the construction and renovation of homes of safety and shelters, renovation and maintenance of Namibia Children's Home and After-School Centre, construction of community empowerment centres, as well as the construction and renovation of Regional and Constituency Offices.
31Page Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee Honourable Members PROGRAMME 2.

CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN: 2.1 The primary purpose of this Program is to improve care and protection of children's well-being.
2.2 A total amount of N$ 1 013 973 000 (One Billion, Thirteen Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy Three Thousand Namibia Dollars) is allocated to this Programme for 2019/2020Financial Year, inclusive of personnel expenditure for our social workers and administrative officers that are working in our constituencies across the country.
2.3 An amount of N$ 923238574 (Nine hundred and twenty three million, two hundred and thirty eight, five hundred and seventy four Namibia Dollars) is earmarked for social grants to Orphans and Vulnerable Children which represents 76%(Seventy sixpercent) of the Ministry's operational budget.
2.4 An amount of N$ 14 906 000 (Fourteen million, nine hundred and six thousand Namibia Dollars) is budgeted to support and provide alternative care (such as foster care, adoption, place of safety and residential child care, shelters) for children and families.

Thisis also the same allocation that is utilized for services and interventions aimed at children on the streets.
2.5 The total number of orphans and vulnerable children who benefited from the grant system in 2018/19 is 375 888 (three hundred and seventy five thousand, eight hundred and eighty eight).

Namibia is among the few countries providing social grants to orphans and vulnerable children in 4lPage accordance with National Development Plans and the Harambee Prosperity Plan on child poverty and vulnerability.

Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee Honourable Members PROGRAMME 3.
SUPPORTCOMMUNITY AND EARLYCHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT: 3.1 ThisProgram aims primarily to: • Ensureattainment of girls and women empowerment; • Mobilize communities towards socio-economic empowerment; • Improve care and protection for children's well-being.
3.2 A total amount of N$50 801 000 (Fifty Million, Eight Hundred and One Thousand Namibia Dollars) is allocated to this programme for 2019/2020 Financial Year, inclusive of remuneration, Early Childhood Development, women's projects and Income-Generating Activities.

3.3 An amount of N$ 24 246 000 (Twenty Four Million, Two Hundred and Forty Six Thousand Namibia Dollars) under the operational budget is earmarked for Early Childhood Development for 2019/2020 Financial Year.
A total number of One Thousand, Three Hundred and Seven (1 307) Educarers from one Thousand and Nine (1009) Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres received monthly subsidy.

The amount of the monthly subsidy ranged from N$l 500.00 (One thousand five hundred Namibia Dollars) to N$2 500.00 (Two thousand Five hundred Namibia Dollars) guided by Educarers' different levels of education.

These Educarers serve at ECDcentres in rural and urban communities.
51Page The subsidy is given to remove the burden on Educarers serving communities where parents cannot afford to pay for ECDservices.

3.4 An amount of N$ 2 047 000.00 (Two Million and forty seven thousand Namibia Dollars) under the operational budget is allocated towards supporting women's projects in the form of Income-Generating Activities.
3.5 During the Financial Year 2018/19, a total number of two hundred and eighty (280) community projects in all fourteen (14) Regions received assistance with materials and equipment.

These projects were allocated to 70% women and 30% men.

These projects enable communities to mobilize themselves and to engage in activities that uplift their standards of living and consequently contribute to the enhancement of their quality of life.
Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee Honourable Members 3.6 The programmes explained above contribute to the Social ProgressionPillar of the Harambee ProsperityPlan as they are all aimed at poverty reduction and improvement of the livelihood of grassrootscommunities.

Their continuation is undoubtedly a basic necessity.

61Page Honourable Chairperson of the Whole House Committee Honourable Members PROGRAMME 4.
PROMOTION OF GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN: 4.1 ThisProgram aims primarily to ensure gender equality and equity.

4.2 COORDINATION MECHANISM FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL GENDER POLICY (2010-2020) The Ministry continues to coordinates all activities pertaining to gender in government and broader society at large.
To the extent that the President received an award from Gender is My Agenda, on behalf of Namibia, recognising the various achievements we made as a collective in Namibia towards gender equality.

4.3 GENDER RESPONSIVEBUDGETING In order to close the gaps between boys and girls and women and men, it is of utmost importance that we adhere to National Budget Circular that called on Ministriesto ensure that their budgets are gender responsive.
Namibia is in the right direction however, in as much as I am aware of the prevailing economic challenges, I must equally states that, the national budget lacks a gender responsive approach by some sectors.
It is thus my humble request to fellow Ministers and Accounting Officers to ensure that the national budget of all Offices/Ministries and Agencies (OMAs) and others reflects gender responsiveness.The boy child as much as the girl child needs to receive attention as our boys are starting to lack behind in various aspects.

71Page 4.4 GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is still one of the national main concern, and reports on GBV by the Namibian Police Force are alarming and continue unabated.
The MGECW, in collaboration with stakeholders, carries out activities to combat GBV including commemoration of 16 Days of Activism against GBV and the launching of Zero Tolerance for GBV Campaign.

The GBV & Human Rights Cluster is operational at national level as well as at various regional levels.

The GBV and Human Right Cluster at National level is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the National GBV Plan of Action, including national GBV campaigns.
4.5 COMBATING OF TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS The Ministry recently launched the Standard Operating Procedures and National Referral Mechanism that will assistthe service providers in better coordination and responding timeously to cases of Trafficking in Person.

The Ministry also launched the awareness campaign to alert fellow country women and men that trafficking in person isreal and we need to be on the alert.

We also launched a song by Sally BossMadam to bring the message closer to our youth.
4.6 WOMEN IN LEADERSHIPAND DECISION MAKING POSITIONS In promotion of gender equality Namibia has achieved a total number of 40.4% of women representation in both Houses of Parliament.

In the National Assembly alone women representation stands currently 46%.

As all parties are preparing for the upcoming national election we look forward to you by ensuring that, your list is Zebra styled.
81Page The Ministry will continue to raise awareness until the 50/50 representation of both men and women is fully realised.

Honourable Chairperson of the Whole Committee Honourable Members 4.7 With the above stated responsibility to address gender equality, a total amount of N$28 563 000 (Twenty eight Million, Five hundred and sixty three Thousand Namibia Dollars) is allocated to this Programme for 2019/2020 Financial Year for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, inclusive of personnel costs.
Honourable Chairperson of the Whole Committee Honourable Members 4.8 It is now my distinct honour to present to this august house, the expenditure request for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare under Vote 12 to the amount of N$ 1 296314000 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Ninety Six Million, Three Hundred and Fourteen Thousand Namibia Dollars) for the Financial Year 2019/20 for its kind consideration and approval.

I THANK YOU.

91Page